| Հայկական տիեզերական գործակալություն | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 31 May 2013; 12 years ago (2013-05-31) |
| Jurisdiction | Armenia |
| Headquarters | Yerevan,Armenia |
| Parent department | Ministry of Transport and Communication[1] |
ArmCosmos, commonly known as theArmenian Space Agency (Armenian:Հայկական տիեզերական գործակալություն), is anArmenian private agency responsible for the development of Armenia'scommercial space industry, coordinating domestic activities, identifying opportunities and facilitating international space engagement, on behalf of theGovernment of Armenia. Its headquarters are located in Yerevan, Armenia.
In 2013, Gagik Grigorian, head of the Ministry of Transport and Communication announced the creation of ArmCosmos, a company to facilitate launching Armenia's first commercialsatellite, named ArmSat,[2] intoEarth'sorbit.[1]
The government first announced plans to launch an Armenian satellite in April 2012 when senior officials from Russia's Federal Space Agency, also known asRoscosmos, visited Yerevan and met with Prime MinisterTigran Sargsyan. A government statement announced that the two sides expressed readiness “to take necessary measures to put the project into practice.”[1]
Currently, six of the 15Post-Soviet republics have launched their own satellites since the collapse of theSoviet Union in 1991.[3]
The initial cost for Armenia's space program was US$250 million, with part of the sum to come from private investors, as announced by government officials.[3]
Armenia currently has the right for two orbital positions for telecom satellites in theGeostationary orbit allocated to Armenia.[3][4] Since 2013, ArmCosmos has been conducting negotiations with theUN'sInternational Telecommunication Union (ITU) to plan for the prospective launch of Armenia's first satellite. Once negotiations are completed with the ITU, talks will be conducted with respect to the designing and construction of the satellite.[4]
Armenia is a member of theUnited Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, theInternational Telecommunications Satellite Organization, theEuropean Telecommunications Satellite Organization, and has ratified theConvention Relating to the Distribution of Programme-Carrying Signals Transmitted by Satellite.
In July 2013, Armenian Transport MinisterGagik Beglaryan, visited Canada and met with the president of theCanadian Space Agency, Gilles Leclerc, and senior official from theCanadian Export Development Agency, John Miller, to discuss the possibility of Canadian participation in Armenia's space program.[5] Beglaryan also met with representatives fromMacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA), a Canadian aerospace technology company. MDA President Mag Iskander advised Beglaryan that the MDA will help Armenia launch its first communications satellite.
In September 2013, Armenian government officials met with German Ambassador Rainer Morel. The Ambassador stated that, "We are ready to cooperate not only in communications but also other fields related with the project" and expressed hope that German companies will also show interest in the satellite program.[6]
In 2014, China announced its interest in developing the ArmSat satellite. Transport Minister Gagik Beglaryan met with representatives of theChina Great Wall Industry Corporation and theChina Academy of Space Technology. The vice president of the China Great Wall Industry Corporation, Zhao Chun Chao, stated that the Chinese side is ready to engage in the design of ArmSat, construction, launching and servicing, as well as training of Armenian specialists.[7]
TheAmerican University of Armenia announced its interest in the program and launched the Armenian Student Aerospace Team (ArmSat) student club. The ArmSat student club is working on developing both hardware and software systems.[8]
In 2017, India announced its intentions to build an Earth observation satellite for Armenia, as well as train Armenian scientists in the use of the system and handling and interpreting its data. An agreement was finalized following former Indian Vice-PresidentHamid Ansari's meeting with former President of ArmeniaSerzh Sargsyan.[9]
In October 2019, government ministers from Armenia andGeorgia met to discuss a range of economic and technical cooperation proposals, among them satellite communications. BothCaucasus countries acknowledged that there is “untapped potential” and pledged to collaborate on ambitious projects.[10]
On 12 June 2024, Armenia signed theArtemis Accords.[11]
TheEurasian Economic Union announced plans to create a joint remote earth sensing system by integrating space and ground-based capabilities of its member states, to include Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. The project involves the creation of a commercial company that will integrate both space and ground-based systems and providesatellite imaging to global customers by 2019.[9]
Armenia also cooperates and participates in certain programs of theEuropean Space Agency (ESA). In 2016, Armenia joined the ESA'sEarth Observation for Eastern Partnership initiative. This move brought new perspectives to develop cooperation opportunities between the ESA and theEU'sEastern Partnership countries. The project aims to achieve an increase in the uptake of satellite-based environmental information and promotes regional cooperation and knowledge exchange. The project is further endorsed by theWorld Bank and theEuropean Investment Bank.[12] Other project members include Georgia, Moldova and Poland.[13]
In October 2019, the Government of Armenia approved a bill on creating a national law on space activities. The bill will provide companies with tax privileges until 2030, will encourage space activities to be developed in Armenia and will enable Armenia to carry out its own space programs, including launching Armenian spacecraft and satellites into space.[14][15]
On 26 March 2020, the Government of Armenia signed into law a package of space activity legislation called "Advanced Tomorrow", or ATOM, which will promote educational and economic development and will expand both state and commercial space activities.[16]
In August 2020, the President of Armenia,Armen Sarksyan, announced that Armenia will host the sixthStarmus Festival from September 5 to 10, 2022. The event was sponsored by the President himself, as well as, theMinistry of Education and Science. The event brought together world-class scientists, artists, astronauts, and the general public to celebrate science communication and to share latest discoveries in a number of scientific fields. The main focus of the sixth Starmus Festival was on the exploration ofMars.[17]
On 27 April 2021, the Secretary of theSecurity Council of Armenia,Armen Grigoryan met with the General Director ofRoscosmos,Dmitry Rogozin in Moscow. The parties discussed the prospects for the development of space activities in Armenia. Rogozin praised Armenian-Russian cooperation in the field of space monitoring. He proposed to expand cooperation between Russia and Armenia in the framework of space technology, design and development. The parties also agreed to set up a space activities working group between Armenia and Russia.[18]
On 15 June 2021, the Minister of High-Tech Industry,Hayk Chobanyan, participated in theGlobal Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2021) inSaint Petersburg. He attached importance to cooperation with key players in the field and participation in international events and stated that Armenia is a country with great ambitions and potential in the field of space research. Chobanyan stressed that taking into account that space exploration is accompanied by technological progress, the Armenian government is investing in the development of this direction. “We strive to work with the world’s leading countries to use space for peaceful purposes and to engage in other global projects,” the Minister said.[19]
On 25 May 2022, Armenia launched an observation satellite in cooperation withSpaceX. The Prime Minister of Armenia,Nikol Pashinyan stated, "On May 25, 2022, at 22:35 Yerevan time, the first satellite of Armenia was launched into orbit from the space station atCape Canaveral, USA."[20]
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